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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Mr. Thompson say his life as an administrator began?

2. Who recommended the school that Kihika attended as a child?

3. Where did Mr. Thompson first become interested in spreading British culture?

4. What group did Lieutenant Koina used to belong to?

5. In "Chapter 7," what concerns Mumbi about a revolution under the Movement?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Chapter 6," what things does Gikonyo confess to Mugo?

2. Why does General R. bring up Karanja in "Chapter 3"?

3. In "Chapter 1," what things do the villagers talk with Mugo about?

4. In "Chapter 7," what does the narrator say about Mumbi's feelings toward the Movement?

5. What does Gikonyo do in Nairobi in "Chapter 6"?

6. What leads to Kihika's death?

7. In "Chapter 4," what does the narrator say about trains?

8. In "Chapter 5," what does Mrs. Thompson remember about Van Dyke?

9. In "Chapter 3," what makes Gikonyo want to visit with Mugo?

10. How does Mugo feel about giving speeches in "Chapter 6"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is Thompson a hero in this novel? How is he a villain?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the romantic relationships in "A Grain of Wheat." How are they influenced by politics?

Essay Topic 3

What is Karanja's role in this novel? What does he act as a force upon? What message does the author deliver through Karanja?

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